Aerophore.



, PATENTED JULY 28, 1908. L. DE FOREST.

AEROPHORE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 22, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Np. 894,318. .PATENTED JULY 28, 1908.

L. DE FOREST.

AEROPHORE. w

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 22. 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

LEE DE FOREST, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO DE FOREST RADIO TELEPHONE 00., A GORPOBATION OF NEW YORK.

- AEBOPHORE.

No. s94,s1s.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 28, 1908.

Application filed December 22, 19.05. Serial No. 292,921.

To all whom it may concern:

. Be-it known that 1, LEE DE FOREST, a citiby electromagnetic waves.

The object of my invention is to provide a system whereby two moving bodies, each provided with transmitting and receiving systems, may mutually communicate warning or direction-indicating si als.

Two systems embodying t e'principles of my invention are illustrated diagrammatically in the drawings which accompany and form a part of this specification and in which Figure 1 represents one form of aerophore adapted to be employed on ships, Fig. 2 is a diagram representing how one ship may communicate a direction-indicating signal to another ship, and Fig. 3 represents one form of example as a parabolic or other suitably aerophore adapted to be employed on railway locomotives or other vehicles.

My invention depends upon the fact now well known that by various devices, such for shaped reflector, or an inclined or horizontal antenna, it is possible to concentrate the transmission of electromagnetic wavesin one eneral direction. It is to be understood,

owever, that, although I have here'in shown only two of such radiation concentratingfdevices, there are many'other devices and systems oflcircuits which are available for this purpose, such for example as the system heretofore disclosed by me in prior Letters Patent, and that I do not herein limit myself to any particular kind of radiation concen tratin device but consider any suitable device within the scope of my invention.

In Figs. 1 and 3, J represents a prime mover of any suitable type which, by any convenient means, such as the belt 14 passing around the pulleys 13, 13', may drive the generator G. M represents a transformer interposed between said generator and the spark-gap S, and O is a condenser which may be connected across the terminals of' said sparkrg'a In Fig. 1, the prime mover J rotates t e signal wheel Q, by means of the shafts 2, 3 and any appropriate gearing, and

intermittently rotates thereflector H by means of similar shafts 2, 3' and gearing,

the transmitted waves.

although any suitable means may be employed to communicate motion from the motor J to the wheel Q and reflector H. The secondary of the transformer M is connected to the antenna A by means of the brushes 4, 69 4', and rings 5, 5. Geared to a pinion 12 which is operatively connected to the motor J, Isa Wheel 12 which operates the crank arm 10 connected to the switch 5 by means of the rod 9 which reciprocates in the guideways 11, 11, and so communicates an intermittent movement to said switch. When the generator circuit is closed through any of the contacts F, F, etc., of the signal wheel Q, the switch -5 is in such position that its con- 7 tact 8 cooperates. with the contacts 7, 7, thereby connecting a shunt circuit around the responder R and at the same time breaking the connection of the receiving antenna A with said responder R at the point 6, so as to protect said responder from the eflects of The mechanism which operates the reflector is connected and arranged in any suitable manner to rotate said reflector through so an arc of, say,'225 degrees, and back again. The mechanism whereby such intermittent rotation may be effected forms no part of my invention and hence is not illustrated in detail. The signal wheel is rotated continu- 5 ously and its signaling contacts are so arranged with respect to the position of the reflector H that when the reflector is directed: so as to concentrate the radiated waves in a particular predetermined direction, a dis-- tinct'ive signal is produced. Thus,' for example, when the reflector is directed .tothe starboard, a signal consisting of a series of dots is emitted; when it is directed to the starboard-quarter, a series of two-dot signals 5 isemitted; when the reflector points to the bow, the signal consists of a series of three dots; when it points to the port quarter, the signal consists of four'dots; and when it is directed to the port, a signal dot-dash signal 0 is produced.

The circumference of the signal wheel Q is divided as shown into temparts, although it may be divided into anyother numberof parts, and a certain number of said parts, 1 5

erein shown as five, are provided with the signaling contacts F F,etc., while the remaining arts are left blank. When the reflector 1% is directed as above indicated, the circuit of the generator is closed through the 10 I brush g, one set of the contacts F, the wheel nected with the segments 17 17.

Q and the brush q, and when the circuit of said generator is broken by a set of the contacts F breaking connection with the brush q, the switch 5 is in such osition that the shunt around the responder is broken at the contacts 7, 7 and the antenna A is connected to earth E by way of said responder at the point 6. In such position of the apparatus, any signal which may be emitted by anaerophore on another ship may be received by the responder R and thereby energize the magnet T, connected in series with said responder and the battery B. This magnet T may be a telephone magnet, or as shown, it maybe the magnet of a relay which, when energized, will close the circuit of the signal-indicating device D and the battery B. The signalindicating device D may be a bell or an incandescent lamp or any other device which will give an-audible or visible signal. The pilot of a vessel receiving such signal by referring to atable or chart can determine the position of his ship with respect to the ship from which the signal was transmitted. For example, in the diagram shown in Fig. 2, the ship K which is on the starboard side of the ship K would receive the standard signal indicating starboard, which, as above set forth, might be a series of single dots, but would not receive the signals indicating starboard quarter, bow, etc. 3 while if a vessel were ahead of the ship K its pilot would receive the standard signal indicating bow, but would not receive the others.

For railroad trains, and vehicles which travel in a fixed direction, it is not necessary to shift the direction of the signals, but it is desirable to connect the antenna carried by such train alternately and at rapidly recurring intervals to the transmitting and receiving apparatus,-so that the signals may alternately be sent and received to and from other trains which are ahead or behind the train in question. the radiation of waves in the general direction of the track on which a train is traveling, I may employ the horizontal or slightly inclined antennae A, A which may be secured to the roof of the train or locomotive and which extend preferably in the direction of the track. The brush 18 contacts with ring a which may be connected in any suitable manner with the conducting segments 17, 17' of the commutator 157 As shown, for example, the ring a is made integral with the metallic parts of the commutator 15, so that thereby said brush 18 normally is con- The commutator 15 is rotated by the motor J, by means of the belt 23, and thus afiords a means of connection between the antenna and the brushes 16, 16 which lead to the transmitting and receiving apparatus, respectively. The signaling wheel Q, which is In order to concentrate rotated by the motor J by means of the shaft 19 and 21 and the belt 20, cooperates with the brush g to vary the current of the generator Q in any predetermined manner. For example, trains running on a certain one of a seriesof paralleltracks would emit a series of signals, each consisting of three dots, while trains running on other of said tracks would emit a series of one-dot, or two-dot signals. By the same mechanism as described in connection with Fig. 1, or by any other suitable mechanism, the switch 5 closes a shunt circuit around the responder R when the brush 16 is on one of the conducting segments 17 or 17, when the brush g closes the generator circuit through the wheel Q, and when the brush 16 is on the insulating portion of the commutator 15, thereby protecting the responder R; while when the brush 16 is on one of the said conducting segments 17, 17, when the brush g opens the generator circuit by breaking contact with the wheel Q and when the brush 16 is on the insulating por tion of the commutator 15, as shown in Fig. 3, said shunt circuitis opened and any oscillations created in the antenna A", A by signal-waves sent out from another train can operate the responder and the signal-indicating device D.

It is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the particular arrangement of apparatus or the (particular systems of circuits.

erein disclose inasmuch as many changes may be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. An aerophore comprising automatic means fortransmitting predetermined electromagnetic-wave signals in predetermined directions, and means for receiving electromagnetic'wave signals during the intervals of time in which signals are not being transmitted.

2. An aerophore comprising means for transmitting electromagnetic wave signals changing with direction, and means for receiving electromagnetic wave signals during the intervals of time in which signals are not being transmitted.

3. In a wireless signaling system, a transmitting system including means for transmitting predetermined signals in a predetermined direction, a receiving system including an oscillation responder, automatic means for protecting said responder during the operation of said transmitting system and aprime mover controlling both the aforesaid means.

4. In a wireless signaling system,-a transmitting system including means for transmitting predetermined signals in a predetermined direction, a receiving system including an oscillation responder, automatic means for connecting a shunt circuit around mitting system including means for transmitting signals changing with direction, a receiving system including an oscillation responder, and means for protecting said responder during the operation of said transmitting system. i I

6. In a wireless signaling system, a trans,- mittingsystem including means for transmitting signals changing with direction, a receiving system including an oscillation responder, and means for connecting a shunt circuit around said responder during the operation of said transmitting system.

7. An aerophore, comprising means for alternately transmitting and receiving electromagnetic-wave direction-indicating signals changing with their direction of transmission.

8. An electromagneticwave signaling system comprising means 'for intermittently transmitting electromagnetic waves varying with their direction of transmission, means for modifying said waves 1n accordance with I their direction of transmission and means for receiving waves from other systems.

9. An electromagnetic-wave signaling system comprising means whereby two moving bodies may mutually communicate electromagnetic-wave signals varying according to the direction of their-transmission.

10. An electromagnetic-wave signaling system comprising means whereby two moving bodies may mutually communicate direction indicating signals changing with'their direction of transmission.

11. In anaerophore, an electromagnetic wave radiator, a source of electric current associated therewith; means for concentrating the electromagnetic waves radiated by said radiatoizin a definite general direction, a device for modifying said current in accordance with the signal to be transmitted, a receiving system. including an oscillation detector, a prime'mover, mechanism connecting said prime mover with the means for concentrating the waves and with the device for modifying the current, said mechanism being so constructed and arranged thatthe transmitted signals vary in accordance with the position of the wave concentrating means, and other mechanism connecting said prime 'mover and said receiving system, said latter mechanism being so related to the former mechanism that said receiving system is rendered inoperative during the operation of the aforesaid radiator.

12. An aerophore comprising means for transmitting electromagnetic wave signals changing with their direction of transmission, means for receiving electromagnetic wave signals, and mechanism so related to both the aforesaid means that one is rendered inoperative during the operation of the other.

13. In an aerophore, an electromagnetic wave transmitter, a prime mover, means controlled by said prime mover for transmitting electromagnetic wave signals changing with their directionof transmission, a receiving system including an oscillation detector, and 'means controlled by said prime 'mover for protecting said detector during the operation of said transmitter.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 18th day of PHILIP FARNSWORTH. 

